Delhi excise policy scam: Vijay Nair's CBI custody extended till Oct 6

New Delhi, Oct 3

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Monday extended the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody of Vijay Nair, a businessman and close aide of Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam, till October 6.

Nair was presented before Special Judge Raghubir Singh after the expiration of his five-day custody. He was arrested on September 27 by the CBI and subsequently, sent to the custody of the probe agency as ordered by the same court, initially for five days.

The probe agency told the court that his custodial interrogation was necessary.

In the last hearing, senior lawyer Rebecca John, who was appearing for Nair, opposed the CBI move, saying her client has joined the investigation and was cooperating.

Nair, the former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management firm and one of the prime suspects in the Delhi excise scam, had gone to London. He returned to join the probe and was placed under arrest.

The CBI has alleged that Nair was actively involved in irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22.

Nair was reportedly a volunteer of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party and he allegedly helped party leaders by organising events and also handled their social media.

Sameer Mahendru, director of Indospirits, on behalf of Nair, allegedly paid around Rs 2-4 crore to Arjun Pandey, an aide of Sisodia.

There are allegations that Arun Ramchandra Pillai, a resident of Kokapet in Hyderabad, used to take undue pecuniary advantage from Mahendru for onward transmission to accused public servants through Nair.